radiograph

Does the Use of Cone Beam CT for Wisdom Teeth Removal Change the Surgical Approach Compared With Panoramic Radiography?

by

An interesting article titled “Does the Use of Cone Beam CT for the Removal of Wisdom Teeth Change the Surgical Approach Compared With Panoramic Radiography?” appears in the Sept. 2015 Journal of Oral Maxilofacial Surgery supplement (vol. 73, issue 9, pg. e12) written by S.P. Aravindaksha. The present study looked at  if the additional information provided by cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) images influences the surgical strategy in the treatment of patients with impacted mandibular wisdom teeth in high-risk cases. The study sought to explore if there is any difference in risk assessment for inferior alveolar nerve (IAN) when using CBCT or panoramic radiography. In the study patients with an increased risk of IAN injury, as diagnosed on panoramic radiographs, were enrolled in and underwent additional CBCT imaging. The study consisted of 52 impacted wisdom teeth from 36 patients (20 … Read more

The Image Gently Campaign in Dentistry

by

If you keep abreast at all with radiation exposure from medical imaging, you may have heard of the Image Wisely campaign. The Imagely Wisely Campaign was designed to have people aware of the fact that certain medical imaging tests such as CT exams are sometimes over used and do not have to be used in certain instances. The goal is to reduce radiation exposure to patients while still providing good medical care, see http://www.imagewisely.org/. The Image Gently campaign is designed to provide information to parents and others to help reduce exposure to radiation for children, see http://imagegently.org/, and has been around since 2007. The campaign is supported by the Alliance for Radiation Safety in Pediatric Imaging, which is a coalition of healthcare organizations dedicated to providing safe and high-quality pediatric imaging. Recently, it has been announced that a new Image Gently campaign in dentistry … Read more

Is Creative Diagnosis on the Rise in Dentistry?

by

A very interesting MyView column by the American Dental Association (ADA) is titled “Creative Diagnosis” by Jeffrey Camm, D.M.D. located over at http://www.ada.org/9151.aspx and published October 21, 2013. In the column the author touches on an issue he faces as a dentist where he has patients who have seen other dentists who were likely unethical in their treatment (and treating when it is not warranted) – a term he calls creative diagnosis. Of course one can ask, what is the motivation for creative diagnosis and one would answer money and staying afloat. Essentially the author describes several cases he has dealt with at his practice: A 16 year old patient who graduates from his pediatric practice and sees a new dentist who then says she has 16 cavities. The patient and her mother of course are upset and he reviews … Read more